Sea Change Okinawa

Niwa Cafe Ishikawa

A couple of weeks ago a friend invited us out to dinner to Niwa Cafe in Ishikawa and it was awesome.
Firstly, they were really accommodating about vegetarian options. My friend rang the day before to check if they had vegetarian options (because pretty much everything in Japan seems to include meat or fish stock even if it appears vegetarian) and they said they did. They actually went out of their way because they knew we were coming to prepare vegetable stock and a bunch of dishes on the menu that were vegetarian (and delicious!).
The other fantastic thing about this restaurant was the fact that they have a dining room in the back for people with kids that includes a little play house with a kitchen inside so the kids also had a great time. The boys spent the whole night playing in the little kitchen while we got to sit around and chat. I was actually loving the food so much that I forgot to take photos of pretty much everything we ate. Between 3 adults and 2 kids we ate a lot including a mushroom and spinach gratin, mushroom and garlic in oil, vegetable risotto, spaghetti Bolognese, coriander salad, lentil salad, tomato and fresh ricotta salad and croque monsieur. Little G has already declared it as his favourite restaurant and wants to go back. We will definitely go back. I would also like to try it in the daytime.

Cafe Niwa

Kids play house with a play kitchen inside

Coriander salad

Tomato basil and ricotta salad and lentil salad

Croque monsier

Chocolate tart

Japan meets Australia

16:50
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One year in Okinawa

Japan

Today is my one year anniversary of living in Okinawa! It has absolutely flown by. I can't believe that this time last year I was wrangling a 3 year old through 3 flights, then on to our new home. Looking for a house, driving in a foreign country for the first time and starting a new job on the other side of the world. It all seemed so strange, but now life in Okinawa just seems normal. I LOVE our house, and really appreciate the fact that I will never again my my life likely live in anything as big (let alone on the beach), as it's just not affordable in Australia. G has completely settled into his childcare and is getting better and better at Japanese, which is so awesome to see. I love hearing him chat to himself (or me!) in Japanese without even realising it!

Since we got back from Australia, we have only had 2 or 3 days of any sunshine, the rest has been windy, cold and rainy! Okinawan winters are pretty gross! I definitely wouldn't plan a trip over here during that time if you could avoid it. I'm really looking forward to the warmer months already. I miss the beach and the snorkelling! We've been keeping busy by perfecting our delicious healthy meals we cook at home as well as continuing with G's swimming lessons on the weekends. The Okinawan cherry blossoms should be blooming in the next couple of weeks, so I can't wait to get out and see them. They look totally different to the cherry blossoms on the mainland.

Beautiful weather the day we got back from Australia

Cute packaging and very expensive (about $30) mandarins.

Low cal green curry

Broccoli and ginger soup

This lego plane and airport is the number 1 toy around here.

Mushi is finally starting to like (put up with) Griff's pats

Love these lights

Chocolate, Banana and Peanut butter muffins

Pumpkin and roasted broccoli soup

16:45
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More Old Japan Photos 2006-2007

Japan

Here's the second bunch of old photos from my time teaching English in Japan in 2006-2007. While I was there my mum, Aunty, my mum's friend and her sister came over for 2 weeks, so I took time off work to take them around the country. We visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and Miyajima Island. It was a really great time and we managed to catch peak bloom of the cherry blossoms the whole way around!

This year, sometime in November i'm hoping to make the trip to Kyoto to catch the autumn leaves. I love the seasons in Japan, as they're so much more pronounced than in Australia (and even in Okinawa, which just seems to have Summer for 9 months, then rain and wind for winter!).

Asakusa

Random

Fun times - Watching a punk band in Koga, nights out in Tokyo

My mum, Aunt and friends came to visit so I acted as tour guide for 2 weeks around Japan including Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima and Tokyo

Nikko

Random shots including the Ghibli Museum, Plum blossoms, Shibuya and the Meiji shrine

Toys!

16:30
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Old Japan Photos 2006-2007

Japan

Some of you may not know that almost 10 years ago, I lived in Japan teaching English. I was living in Oyama, Tochigi prefecture, which is just over an hour north of Tokyo on the train. It was one of the best times in my life. I had always wanted to live in Japan, and eventually decided to finally make the move. I applied for a teaching English job through NOVA, which was the biggest eikawa at the time, and within 2 months was living in Japan. I was lucky to make some amazing lifelong friends while I was there (some of who have even visited me in Okinawa last year!) and I will always look back fondly on my time on the mainland.

Recently I logged into my old flickr account that I had totally forgotten about and discovered a whole bunch of forgotten photos of that time, so I thought I would share some with you all.

Lake Chuzenji a bit further past Nikko, Tochigi prefecture. I look so young!

Kamakura - I am a giant compared to my Japanese friend Yuri!

Random Tokyo. I highly recommend going to see a sumo tournament if you are in Japan when they are on!

Oyama, where I used to live. Bottom left is my old mamachari bike that I used to ride everywhere. We also used to do A LOT of karaoke

Tokyo Disney

More Tokyo Disney

18:21
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Australia - New Years on the Gold Coast

Australia

New Years Eve was our last night in Australia, and we were lucky enough to spend it with my sister, her husband and kids, my dad and step-mother, my brother and his wife (who were over from Korea). Because there was lots of young kids involved, we all went to the Tallebudgera Surf club for dinner, and when we finished there we got some bottles of bubbles and headed over to the beach to wait for the early (kid friendly) fireworks. It was lovely and G LOVED watching the fireworks so close.

Watching fireworks on Tallebudgera Beach, Gold Coast

On New Years morning, we all headed down to the beach to try out Griff's new kite and let the dogs have a run around. It was such a gorgeous day (although the beach was much too windy and rough - nothing like our calm Okinawa beaches) and it was great being able to fly the kite! On the way back to the car we decided to have a quick swim at Tallebudgera Creek, which was packed with people, and absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately it was the only beach swim I managed to get in while I was in Australia, but it was a great way to end the holiday.